Seal.



PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905.

R. C. HOYBR.

SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6.1904.

Unirse Srarns Patented June 13, 1905.

arent Fries,

SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,214, dated June 13, 1905. Application filed April 5, 1904. Serial No. 201,681.

To rr/ZZ 71171/0771/ it muy concern,.-

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH C. I-IoYuR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vicksburg, in the county of l/Varren and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and useful Seal, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in seals for envelops and other containers; and the object is to provide a simple device of the above type which can be readily manufactured, easily applied to an envelop, and when so applied will constitute an effective seal for the same to prevent the contents thereof being tampered with or abstracted without mutilating the container or destroying the seal.

The preferred means by which the above object is accomplished is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of an envelop, showing the seal applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through a portion of suoli envelop. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the partial application of the seal and indicating the manner in which it is closed. Fig. 1 is a detail perspective View of the seal, and Fig. 5 is asectional View through the same.

Similar reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated the seal itself is formed of a single sheet-metal strip, the material thereof being of such a nature that said strip may be readily bent. Said seal comprises a body portion composed of angularlydisposed leaves 5 and 6, connected at their inner ends, the outer end of the leaf 5 being offset and curved, as shown at 7, and carrying at said end an inturned tongue 8, which tongue is disposed substantially parallel to the leaf 5 and spaced a slight distance above the same. Through the tongue 8, contiguous to its juncture with the offset portion 7, is formed a transversely-disposed opening 9, and said tongue is furthermore provided with inwardly-extending teeth 10, preferably struck from the metal of which the tongue is formed. The leaf 6 is also provided at its free end with an offset tongue 11, which tongue is sufficiently narrow to pass through the opening 9 in the tongue 8, and has at its free end a sharpened piercing-prong 12. The tongue 11 is also provided with inwardly-eX tending teeth 13, struck therefrom, as shown in Fig. 4.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the seal is shown in connection with an ordinary envelop having the usual sealed fiaps 15 and the loose flap 16, the liaps 15 overlapping. In applying the device after the contents of the envelop have been inserted the end of the seal having the sharpened prong is pierced through the three flaps 15, and then the device is revolved to take the position shown in Fig. 3. The upper free iiap 16 is then sealed in the usual manner, and the other leaf, 6, of the seal is bent inwardly, the prong 12 piercing the said flap 16 and passing through the opening 9 of the inner tongue. It will be observed that this prong is slightly offset from the tongue 11, and after it has passed through the opening 9 it will strike the curved portion 7, thereby being deflected and causing the tongue 11 to pass inwardly and lie between the tongue 8 and the leaf 5. Upon further pressure it will be apparent that the interlocked tongues will be brought together with the inner one against the leaf 5, whereupon the teeth will also be interlocked, and the tongue 11 cannot be withdrawn from its interfitting relation.

It will be observed that this device is an eX- tremely simple article that can be manufactured at small cost and that it will securely embrace and lock the various flaps together, so that the same cannot be opened unless very badly mutilated or the seal destroyed.

While the invention is shown in connection with an ordinary envelop, it is not limited to such use, but may be employed in connection with various devices and containers, as will be apparent. It is to be observed, moreover, that the device can be readily applied and that it does not interfere with the contents of the envelop. It is particularly convenient in that it requires no openings being first made through the flaps, as the sharpened point may be made to pierce its way through the same. It is therefore advantageous for use in connection with any folded sheet, as the folds can be pierced and the seal compressed without difficulty.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A seal comprising a flexible strip having a body portion provided with a rearwardlyturned tongue at one end that is spaced from the body portion, said tongue having an opening therethrough, and another tongue located at the free end of the body portion and arranged to be passed through the opening of the lirst-m entioned tongue and lie between said tongue and the bodyportion.

2. A seal comprising a liexible strip bent to form angularly-disposed leaves, tongues carried by the free ends of said leaves, one of said tongues being spaced from the leaf carrying it, and provided with an opening therethrough and with inwardly-extending teeth, the other tongue being adapted to be passed through said opening and having inwardlyextending teeth that are arranged to interlock with the teeth of the first-mentioned tongue.

3. rl`he combination with an envelop having overlapping tlaps, of a seal comprising angularly-disposed leaves thatare arranged to embrace the liaps, a rearwardly-turned tongue carried by one of the leaves and having an opening therethrough, said tongue being spaced from the leaf and having inwardlyprojecting teeth, and another tongue carried by the other leaf and arranged to be passed through the opening of the first-mentioned tongue and lie between said first-mentioned tongue and leaf, the latter tongue also having teeth which coact with the teeth of the tongue having the opening.

4. A seal comprising a flexible body p0rtion, a tongue carried by one end of the body portion, said tongue overlying' the body portion in spaced relation thereto and having an opening through it, said. opening being located contiguous to the juncture of the tongue and body portion, and another tongue carried by the body portion and arranged to be passed through the opening and lie between the firstmentioned tongue and the body portion.

5. A seal comprising a {iexible body p0rtion formed of angularly-disposed leaves, a tongue carried by the free end of one of the leaves and overlying the same in spaced relation thereto, said tongue having` an opening through it that is located contiguous to the juncture of the tongue and leaf and being furthermore provided with imvardly-extending teeth, and another tongue carried by the free end of the other leaf and arranged to be passed through the opening of the first-mentioned tongue and lie between the first-mentioned leaf and tongue, said latter tongue being also provided with teeth that interlock with the teeth of the said lirst-mentioned tongue.

6. In a seal, the combination with an envelop having flaps, of a strip of 'liexible metal forming a tie or band, one extremity of which is sharpened to a point, said point being tapered forming a tongue, the opposite terminal portion being provided with an opening arranged to receive the tongue, said opening being located from the adjacent extremity of the strip about the length of the tongue from its extremity, said tongue and the portion of the strip, between the opening and its adjacent extremity, having teeth or projections struck from the metal and. inelining longitudinally of the strip and in the same direction, said teeth being arranged to interlock when the tongue is passed through the opening, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing' as my own I havehereto aliixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

RUDOLPH C. HOYER. iVitnesses:

W. H. JoNns, H. B. XVILsoN. 

